4 Short Stories: Brothers of Light: Tomax and Xamot
by bloodredsky8
Summary: Combined two of my one chapter stories, plus added a new story on the end. May add more stories in the future and just change the number in the title. Warning: All are dark, macabre and heavy on the innuendos of romance between the two brothers.
1. Flight From Chateau Cisarovna

_Short about Brothers of Light, Tomax and Xamot during their darkest hours. They escaped slavery at the hands of Mindbender and stowed away on a private jet. I was bored at work and amused myself coming up with this morbid tale of Corsican Brother weirdness._

Dark robed figures, hoods pulled tightly over identical heads, walked among the departing dignitaries outside the Chateau Cisarovna. Though they stood out strongly against the snow and bright sky, they went unnoticed, for they chose to be. The Brothers of Light Tomax and Xamot walked through the crowd, mingling with individual minds, willing themselves invisible using their psychic gift. A mood of outrage and disgust was all pervasive; the people in attendance were the types where a minute could be worth a million dollars, and they had traveled far and wasted much of their precious time for what seemed to be no reason. The fraud attempted upon them had been incomprehensible; they had no inkling of being under the mind control that had almost made them permanent slaves and of the military drama that had unfolded a distance away.

Desperate to escape their own slavery, the brothers were similarly clueless, having to guess at the many schemes the doctor had wanted to use them for. They had only known pain and more pain, as Mindbender had shocked them through their helmets consistently throughout the day, to stimulate brain activity, forcing them to focus their wills. By the time it had occurred to them to tell the doctor they'd use their powers for him willingly, if only he would just stop hurting them, they had already been drugged and tormented into an almost permanent trance. Over and over in their waking dreams, they imagined telling him, only to be shocked again and know it had never been. A rare occasion came up once or twice where one or the other twin would find himself semi-alert and free of a gag. He'd stare at Mindbender with watery, unfocused eyes, thinking _..now's my chance.._ only to find speech impossible, barely able to manage a soft moan. The doctor, expecting funny business, would zap them yet again. -But that was neither here nor there; they were free now and would stay that way.

The Brothers of Light had already decided they needed to travel to the United States so they could seek help from fellow psychics who ran a hospital there. They searched for destinations in the minds of the crowd and finally found a man taking his private jet to Texas. "Close enough, brother," Tomax said. Xamot replied, "We'll have them drop us off on the way." They captivated everyone on board with their hypnotic charisma. "We will rest in the back.." Tomax said, while Xamot finished with, "..and you will not notice we are here."

The last time they had found themselves on a private plane, it had been the doctor's. They had spent most of the trip unconscious, the victims of animal tranquilizers shot into them by surprise. Now they didn't have the luxury of sleep; they had to stay conscious in order to focus their powers. Their current ride was a bit more spacious than Mindbender's and built for comfort. The furniture and most of the decor was of a clean, bright ivory color. The brothers sat down together on a soft, microfiber loveseat where they tried to relax themselves, embracing for comfort, though they could hardly bear the smell of each others filthy robes and unwashed bodies. Exhaustion hit, sinking them like stones. Tomax slowly fell over sideways, pulling Xamot to his chest. Before they could even try not to, they soon fell into a fitful, nightmare plagued sleep.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON OUR JET?! WHAT ARE YOU..HOW DID YOU GET HERE?!" a voice boomed. The brothers awakened, shocked to see the barrels of two revolvers pointed at them, held by a man and a woman, -husband and wife- who were the owners of the plane they stowed away in. They could see the shocked faces of the crew in the background. Everyone on board had felt trapped within the same bizarre nightmare when two dark, filthy wraiths had suddenly manifested themselves out of nowhere. The most horrifying thing about it was that everyone knew they had been there the whole time, unseen somehow. Tomax flailed, trying to push past Xamot's weight so he could put on his most ferocious glare as they worked their magic again. Xamot sat up, but to Tomax's dismay, he succumbed to great, choking sobs that sent both of their bodies into spasms. Humiliated, Tomax buried his face into Xamot's shoulder, trying to think, to steady himself as their bodies went into uncontrollable tremors. He was so overcome by his brother's emotion that he felt sick to his stomach and filled with deep despair. Something had to be wrong with them; he felt so _ill_. At that moment, he wished Mindbender would have killed them in his lab. It could have been a gentle death. If only he could have accidentally given them too much sedative; it would have been like going to sleep.

"They look like transients suffering from withdrawal," a man's voice said in an American accent with a slight southern twang, "Maybe they haven't been able to panhandle enough for a drink in a while?"

Yes, if only Mindbender had been as terrible of a doctor as he was a human being, they could have been saved the indignity of having this foreign dignitary, -this nobody-, not realize the power and importance of the living angels who had miraculously appeared before him, both pure and bright. Unmindful of the guns still trained upon them, Tomax and Xamot stood, green eyes bright in a background of red, and said in otherworldly unison, "WE ARE THE BROTHERS OF LIGHT.." Then everyone on board looked on in morbid astonishment as the brothers suddenly seemed to become possessed by the same malevolent spirit. Their bodies shook in perfect synchronicity, while bile shot from their throats in opposite directions, defiling the ivory decor around them. Tomax and Xamot collapsed back onto the loveseat, which was streaked with their filth. They gasped and heaved, profusely sweating and weak, and appeared to fall into a faint back into the same position as they were when found.

"We can't really do anything with them while we are over the ocean." the man said.

We'll get you help," the woman told the brothers, suspicion tempered by pity. She put her gun away and brought them a blanket.

"We have friends in America," Xamot said in a wretched small voice, "Could you drop us off with them on the way?" He gave the name of the hospital that was their desired destination.

"We'll see," the woman replied. She caught a whiff of them and added with a gesture, "If you need to use the potty, it's behind that door, and please...PLEASE ask one of the attendants to help you if you need it."

Everyone on board sat, tense and awkward, and tried to ignore the twins' eerie presence. Tomax thought it would be the perfect time to force their obedience, but he could feel Xamot starting to nod off again. Well, they had time. It was a long way to the United States, and they could use the rest after being sleep deprived for so long. Tomax couldn't figure out why they were still trembling and feeling nauseated though. Xamot had stopped crying, and they were both calm. He was sure it couldn't have anything to do with him. He was never the problem.


	2. Comfort and Guidance

_WARNING: I've added a part on the end some might find disturbing. Anticlimactic short about the Brothers of Light, plus OCs. Tomax gets sucked into Xamot's meltdown, then the rest of the story is mildly romantic._

It was a beautiful sunny day, almost as perfect of a day as they could imagine. Twin brothers Tomax and Xamot were about to take a walk through the gardens on Aurora and Mishael's estate, where they had been staying for four days now. It had been almost a week since they escaped brutality and slavery at the hands of Dr. Mindbender. Sick and weary, they had been given refuge, but had also taken a lot of condemnation from their psychic mentors over their actions at the sanctuary where they had used their hypnotic influence to coerce people 'disciples' into worshiping them as gods and giving them everything they had.

The brothers felt much better now, albeit a little weak from the physical torment and abrupt end of forced drugging they had received in the doctor's custody. They had suffered a severe withdrawal; Aurora had given them something to alleviate the symptoms a bit, but it was a necessary evil, as they never knew what they were on so couldn't slowly wean themselves off whatever chemicals had been causing them agony. After the initial lectures and outbursts over their iniquities, their mentors were kindlier and more understanding toward them. They were, after all, kind of like a family to them and didn't enjoy seeing them suffer, even if they thought it was well deserved.

The twins went to take their leave from their hosts, to be polite. They were in the kitchen. Tomax could hear a faint beeping sound coming from an open window, perhaps from someone backing heavy machinery. Aurora turned toward them, then sneezed forcefully into her hand. In the background was heard the soft whir of Mishael's Magic Bullet as he mixed a smoothie. Tomax was surprised to see Xamot abruptly drop to the floor, falling onto his back and going stiff. They were never far apart, but an unseen force pulled Tomax closer to his sibling, and he felt himself fall into a similar position, stiff as a board, arms and legs straight. He felt an intense pain in his chest and had trouble breathing. _We must be having a heart attack.._ he thought, _...I love you Xamot.._

Tomax wanted that to be the last thought on his mind as they died, for surely they were dying. He tried to touch Xamot's mind with it, but then he looked on, paralyzed with horror as they appeared back in Dr. Mindbender's laboratory. "You didn't think you had actually escaped, did you?" the malicious doctor asked them, "There's only one way you are ever getting out, -and I'll make you beg for it before it happens- but it won't be for a very long time. That reminds me, can you two see into the future?"

The brothers looked at him in stupefied horror, unable to speak or even shake their heads. Mindbender wagged a finger and looked at them through heavily lidded eyes, "You know what happens when you refuse to answer me." The twins became internally terrified but still could only look on. Xamot managed a pathetic mewling. _..No, please, we want to answer but we just can't! We can't.._ they thought feverishly.

The doctor flipped a switch under one of the tables. The twins heard the high pitched whine of the table saw. It didn't look like much, just a thin rod sticking up out of the stainless steel surface, but they knew it could cut through metal like butter. "If I cut both of your left arms off, would you lose feeling in your right? he asked, staring at them with malevolent amusement. Still, the brothers took this in with silent horror. Mindbender had only threatened them with the saw twice; the second time it had caused them to become so unhinged that they had only stopped screaming after being given a strong sedative. He couldn't stress enough how he valued their silence. Tomax and Xamot knew that if he was really going to dismember them, then he'd probably surprise them with it, like perhaps they'd be put under, only to wake up without an arm. This made even the comfort of chemical oblivion its own special horror.

Suddenly, Aurora and Mishael walked into the room. The brothers had a moment of confusion and disorientation, as if they realized they might be dreaming, but it was too real. "You two realize that you could have gotten out of this at anytime, don't you?" Aurora said, "Isn't that right, Dr. Bender?"

"Oh absolutely," the doctor said in a voice that was a combination of Mishael's and his own, "Why do you think I had to ramp up the threats and torture? The fear they'd rally and dissolve my will at any second was a constant worry. I'm amazed I was able to get so far with them. I never could have imagined that these two losers could be so ignorant of their own potential. The only reason they were able to escape is because I let my own fear get the best of me. If I would have stopped fiddling with the computer when the system crashed, and thought to run up and slap one of them when they came to awareness, then I'd still have them cowering in my possession."

"Monty is the source," Aurora said, "Come back to us now darling..." The twins calmed a bit as they felt her hand gently stroking Xamot's brow. Her mind touched theirs, channeling feelings of comfort and security. They closed their eyes for a moment. When they opened them again, they were back in their kitchen.

Mishael had just pulled a needle out of Tomax's arm. "I've given you both a mild sedative to relax you," he told them, "You may rest for the duration of this day, but we are going to need to talk."

"We still want to go out," Tomax said, staring at the sunlight pouring in the open window. Xamot nodded in agreement.

The four of them went outside. Aurora and Mishael led them to the gazebo in the garden where the twins squeezed together on a comfortable, heavily-padded wicker sofa. Aurora and Mishael sat across from them in matching wicker chairs. "What happened to us?" Tomax asked drowsily as Xamot tilted his head into his shoulder.

"Something triggered a flashback in Monty," Mishael answered, "You were sucked into his traumatic memories via your connection."

_That explains the paralysis.._ Tomax thought. Sometimes he had to be the one to respond during the doctor's sessions of torment.

Aurora added, "You really could have gotten free of the doctor at any time. From now on, every day we spend with you, we are going to allocate some time so you can tell us everything that Dr. Bender did to you. We will go to a nice safe place where you can weep and hold hands, and we are going to keep reminding you that every second you were conscious could have been another time you could have used your abilities to free yourselves. This might sound harsh, but it's absolutely true. Everything that happened to you was one hundred percent your own faults and could have been avoided."

"Yes," Mishael said, "Think of every situation we already know. Lets see..the moment you woke up in his lab? You could have mind controlled him a second before he threatened to stop your hearts. When he threatened with the table saw? You could have compelled him to set you free instead. Even when he was choking you, you had time to focus your powers five seconds before you blacked out. Self defense is an acceptable reason to use your powers, not to trick people into worshiping you and giving you things or to look into the thoughts of others for your own amusement."

Aurora and Mishael could tell the twins were getting visibly upset at this point. Even though they disliked the brothers and could never completely forgive them for their past transgressions, they had no desire to hurt them. They knew nothing constructive could come from ridiculing them further, so they left them to relax alone. Tomax and Xamot shifted a little to find a more comfortable position. They each found comfort in the press of the others body, making up for lost time during a captivity not allowing them to touch or look at each other. "Where did it all go wrong...?" Xamot whispered with his eyes closed, half dozing.

The better question, Tomax thought, was what would become of them? It was as if the story of their lives kept being rewritten with more and more of their power stripped away. They had enjoyed paradise for so long, then it suddenly went to hell in a day. He had recently berated Xamot for his weaknesses, yet the thing that had just happened to them was beyond his comprehension. He couldn't have imagined how he could have prevented it, even if he had seen it coming. The nature of their bond was such that intense feelings always won out. Tomax could no more prevent a future flashback than he could watch Xamot get slapped in the face and numb his pain by virtue of not being struck. "The world is not ready for our divine light," he replied absently, turning his head slightly to kiss his beloved sibling on the side of his mouth.

The brothers abandoned their cares after that and slipped in and out of a light slumber, often sighing in contentment when one would come to awareness and find the other so close. Caressing one another for solace, they spent the day thus and awakened fully to the semi darkness of early evening and the chill and crisp smells of the approaching night air. At some point, they noticed, someone had brought them a pitcher of water and bowl of fruit. Xamot grabbed an apple, while Tomax poured them both a cup of water. They enjoyed their repast in silence for a moment, both serene for the most part, but with a tickle of anxiety in the deepest parts of their minds. _We shouldn't be alone tonight...no we shouldn't_ they thought. Arm in arm, they walked back to the house.

* * *

><p>When Tory and Mick heard a knock at the door of the guest house where they were staying, they could feel the longing and need in the minds of those beyond. Tory opened the door and stared with amusement at the Brothers of Light, who stood with hands together, seeking the things that had brought them together throughout their lives: forgiveness, love, acceptance, security reassurance..<p>

Tory opened the door and stared at them with amusement. "I see you two are here for sexy time," she said, pulling them in.

The twins stared at one another. They weren't sure it was exactly what they wanted, but it was something they'd always take. They removed their sandals and glided demurely into the room. Their mentors knew they'd have to love them twice in order to procure satisfaction themselves. "How messed up is this?" Mick commented wryly, "We do this again and again, yet I can't stop looking at them as if they were my adult children."

Tory went to Tomax. She preferred him because he was so prideful and tried so very hard to please her. Mick preferred Xamot. Each had always enjoyed the thrill of trying to wrestle the other down. Even if (or usually when) Xamot lost, he would still gain the satisfaction of witnessing his brother enjoy himself doubly so as Tomax would writhe and moan and coerce Xamot into accepting surrender through their psychic connection.

This Xamot was different. Mick threw him down roughly and bit him on his shoulder hard. Though Tomax gasped, eyes darting wildly about in terror, Xamot only looked blankly with a dazed expression, too lost to feel pain or fear. "MICK!" Tory yelled in consternation, furrowing her brow, "Don't be an asshole!"

Mick shot her an insolent glance behind heavily lidded eyes, but he toned it down after that. Both had their beloved anomalies lie side-by-side. They kissed and caressed the twins gently as they lied frozen in a bliss so unique to them. With eyes squeezed shut, they concentrated on keeping their shallow breaths regular as they felt the sensation of two mouths working over their bodies: on their necks, down their arms, kissing the palms of their hands. No one else in the whole world but them knew the sensation of two pairs of lips on the same part of their bodies. After only minutes, they trembled and cried out deliriously, then went motionless, spent for the moment.

Tory and Mick allowed their guests of honor to rest a bit before they would touch them again. They'd be able to last longer after getting one out of the way..usually. Sometimes each would build on the others passion so intensely that they'd get caught in an endless loop of fleeting rapture. There were no two beings on earth who had such potential to experience mind-numbing pleasure.

-Or pain. Theoretically, those two could be made to suffer more than anyone had ever before. It was no wonder Tory wanted to keep them locked away in the middle of nowhere. _Look at them...they're so sad and pathetic._ Mick mused._ Maybe it would be better they went back to how they were. They might stand a chance of defending themselves in this world._

_I agree..._ Tory thought in reply.

Half in a doze, Tomax and Xamot brushed fingers and tilted their heads toward one another ever so slightly. A feeling of contentment spread through their being upon taking in this understanding of their nature. Satisfied, they felt they had gotten what they really wanted after all.


	3. Commitment

_Never liked how the powers of the Brothers of Light supposedly didn't work the further apart they were. Came up with a morbid scenario of how their psychic abilities might work when they were separated, but differently from when they were together._

_..Why does this keep happening to us?!_ Tomax thought, stunned, as chaos exploded around him. The Brothers of Light had been working on a plot for world conquest through the media, but it had been important their location remain a secret until they could use their mind control to compel enough important people into loyalty and build their army. Someone had betrayed them to the authorities. "TOMAX! RUN!" he heard Xamot shouting from across the room. In typical Xamot fashion, he had reacted right away when their cover was blown, while Tomax had stood around assessing the situation. Before both knew it, they were separated.

Tomax felt someone grab his arm. "Come, master, we must bring you and your brother to safety."

Something wasn't right. Tomax looked at the disciple who was roughly dragging him by his arm. There was something about the way he said... "Xamot? Bring me to Xamot at once.." he said in confusion.

Tomax realized too late that he didn't recognize this disciple leading him. He found himself being shoved into a small office, the door slamming behind them. He spun around shouting furiously, "What's going on? Who are you? Where is my brother?"

The man in the garb of their disciples laughed. "You fool!" he sneered, "We're not going to let you anywhere near each other ever again. You may call me Brother Judas."

Tomax's eyes blazed with indignation and more than a little fear, but he was determined not to let this little toad of a man stand between him and his freedom. He lunged for the door. Before he could even get close, the man kicked his legs out from under him and had him pinned in a matter of seconds. As he struggled feebly, the man mocked, "Not much for fighting are you, psychic?"

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Xamot was fleeing other pursuers. He stumbled and fell to his knees, feeling his brother's take down. At that moment, he heard shots fired and saw bullet holes form on the wall near where he had been standing seconds before. He stayed low and rounded a corner. <em>Thank you, brother..<em> he thought, moments away from a possible escape. Rushing outside, he saw he was in luck. An idling vehicle was parked nearby for the taking.

* * *

><p>'Brother Judas' looked at the man he had easily subdued. This was one of a pair of con men who had raped his daughter under mind control and taken everything she had. Now he was taking revenge by working undercover to help the authorities stop them before they could do it countless more gullible, star stuck victims. This psychic was dressed like a Greek god, same as his identical twin brother. Everyone knew by the way they touched and made eyes at each other that they were costumed for mutual pleasure. He pulled out a knife. He wanted nothing more than to watch the pride bleed out of this asshole. "I should kill you right now.." he said.<p>

Tomax stared at him intently and thought, _..but you won't...you won't.._. Without Xamot's contributing boost to his psychic abilities, his powers of persuasion weren't that strong. It was more like a suggestion, a whisper in the back of the mind.

"..but I won't. I'm to hold you captive until you can be arrested and taken to prison." He put the knife away.

Feeling tentatively confident by this success, Tomax tried for more. _..you will let me up..let me leave..yess...they are waiting to arrest me right outside the door.._ he thought.

The man let him up. Tomax slowly got to his feet while maintaining eye contact. He slowly backed toward the door. Suddenly, the man shook his head. "No!" he shouted, "I know what you're trying to do!"

Tomax went for it. He grabbed the door knob and had it open an inch when his captor closed it again by forcing his body into it. Shocked by the impact, Tomax fell to his knees. An arm wrapped around his throat; he felt an uncomfortable pressure, then a darkening of his vision.

* * *

><p>Xamot was feeling flushed as he felt the pressure on his neck. His vision started swimming; he couldn't see where he was going on the steep mountain roads. Panicked, he slammed on the brakes. By the time the pressure subsided and full vision returned, he discovered in horror it was just enough time to send him off road over the side of a steep incline, then submersion and darkness. The vehicle started filling with water, but Xamot had the presence of mind to immediately hit the automatic window. It still worked and the window went down. He took a deep breath and prepared to work his way out, but the hem of his toga caught on something. He flailed about, then tugged on it desperately, his lungs straining. He managed to work it loose. <em>..I've done it! I'm free..<em> he thought and started pushing his body the rest of the way out of the window. By then, it was too late. Mercifully, he lost consciousness before he could feel the water rushing into his lungs.

* * *

><p>Tomax came to strapped down on a gurney. Someone was lightly slapping his face. "..drowning.." he gasped and started floundering weakly and staring glassy-eyed. The feeling passed; he went still. He was being wheeled down a hallway. Once outside, two blurry figures lifted him into an ambulance. "Which one are you?" a voice asked.<p>

"Where's my brother? Where's Xamot?" Tomax replied frantically. The connection between them was weak.

Another voice was speaking in the background. "We'll have to wait until morning to do a recovery.."

"I see, Tomax then. There is no Xamot; never was," the first voice said cruelly, patting his hand, "Don't worry though, we will get you the help you so desperately need."

Tomax never was taken to prison. Instead, he was institutionalized with an initial diagnoses of psychosis and delusions of grandeur. "He believed he was a god," someone had laughed, "He imagined having special powers and a twin brother who looked just like him and who was also his lover. How is that for being full of oneself?"

Tomax was too distraught to care about these lies. He languished on a hospital bed refusing to respond when detectives or doctors came by to question him. He was given an iv upon arrival because his health had taken a rapid decline on the trip there. The only comfort had come when he dreamed of Xamot speaking to him, as if he were there with him in his mind. _...It's cold here.._ his brother had told him just before showing him a vision of his body floating downstream, staring up at him from under the partially ice encrusted water.

Tomax shivered and fought to breathe, though his lungs felt heavy. A nurse told him, "You will get pneumonia in your lungs if you refuse to get up and move."

Uncaring, Tomax tried to sleep, to dream so he could hear his brother's voice again. He saw a vision of lying on a river bank, half in the water. He felt arms grasping them, lifting them out. _...Breathe with me.._ Xamot whispered into his mind. Tomax lied passively in an agony of pain as he felt someone force air down their throats and began to do chest compressions. They began to cough, choking and vomiting up fluid.

* * *

><p><em>Brothers and sisters...<em> Xamot thought as he felt the presence of five minds but was too weak to look at their physical forms. He recognized them as five disciples among those who had been with the brothers the longest. They quickly removed his garments and covered him with blankets. He tried to get up at one point, but many hands held him steady and told him not to move for his own safety. They gently lifted him into a vehicle where they worked to keep him stable. Xamot was humbled by the love and care he felt in the minds of these five. How very not godlike he must look so touched by death, yet they were genuinely devoted to him as a man, even the ordinary man he clearly was. He wondered if the Brothers of Light ever had the right to take what they did from these people in return for whatever they thought they were getting, -healing or inner peace or such- but he was selfishly grateful they had because now their brothers and sisters had appeared at the right moment to save their lives.

* * *

><p>Tomax saw a vision of his brother turned over on his stomach trying to push himself up but collapsing from the effort. <em>Build up your strength..<em> Xamot told him, _..we must be able to walk. I'll come for you when I can.._

The next morning, a nurse came in to check vitals. Tomax was sitting up in bed, his scar red and raw against his ashy cheek, and his eyes bright with life, purpose and a supernatural energy. "I will eat now.." he said softly, staring at her unblinking.

Startled, the nurse dropped her clipboard. She left it where it lied and pulled her cart out of the room in a hurry. Tomax heard a sound like being locked in. Minutes later, two security guards entered the room armed with tasers. He allowed them to handcuff one of his hands to the bed without a fuss. A half hour later, food was brought, just as he had wanted. _They must see me as a criminal, a threat. I must gain their trust, make them feel for me.._ he thought.

When a nurse came in to attempt vitals again, Tomax lied back passively with his eyes closed. It wasn't difficult; he felt cold, weak, short of breath. He concentrated on channeling a thought into every mind he could, _"..Restraints are unnecessary; I am no trouble.."_ People came to question him, but he either pretended to be asleep or he appeared as vague and sorrowful.

"How are you doing today?" a man asked him, trying to draw him into a conversation.

"My heart aches from missing my brother," Tomax replied, "Tell a nurse to bring me a heated blanket and coffee on the way out."

Eventually, Tomax was freed from the cuff, though he didn't respond when it was removed, as if he didn't even notice. _..No trouble.._ he thought, biding his time.

* * *

><p>The five rescuers worked in shifts to be by Xamot's side constantly. They didn't want to frighten him, but Xamot see into their minds, and he knew they worried about brain damage and sudden death. He lied still, hooked up to monitors and breathing warm air through a mask. The disciples told him that when they were raided, all had pretended to be innocent victims of mind-control and were not suspect by the authorities. They were immediate in their concern for the twins' safety. One had even located Tomax and was able to infiltrate the hospital where he was being held as an employee. Xamot was pleased. As soon as all were sure he was out of danger, he would go out and rescue his beloved sibling.<p>

* * *

><p>Though free to move about the room, Tomax was still in a prison. Hospital staff locked him in his room after every visit; he had not yet been allowed to see other areas of the facility. The only time he caused trouble was when he pulled out his iv and bled on the sheets. <em>...It is not necessary...I will take my medication willingly...<em> he put into many minds. When they gave him drugs, he palmed them, then flushed them down the toilet when he could.

* * *

><p>When Xamot was recovered, he departed the five disciples' care to find his brother. Two drove him to the hospital and left him right outside. He would have to use his wits and psychic abilities to gain access. He followed someone inside. <em>...I am a shadow at your back...<em> he thought, _...You will not turn around..._.

Once inside, Xamot pulled his hood tightly over his head and crept through the shadows. He willed himself invisible, or he willed people not to look in his direction. Staff would see a specter in the corner of their vision when he'd quickly dart past, but once he turned a corner out of sight, he was out of mind. _...I am a fly buzzing on the wall, insignificant...disfigured shadow cast in my brother's light. Do not look my way..._ he thought.

* * *

><p>At this time, Xamot was close enough that Tomax could hear these thoughts in his head. Their powers of persuasion would now be stronger. Tomax was saddened that people would believe these thoughts in his beloved's head, especially since they had been told he didn't exist. Xamot had always been the humbler of the two, but Tomax wished he'd stop acting as if he were somehow less important. They would have to be more careful in the future. The Brothers of Light had big dreams, but dreams were not worth having if something ever happened to Xamot. He banged on the door, eager to see his brother again, wishing he could will it to open. It didn't work that way; he had to manipulate someone into opening it for him. <em>..LET ME OUT!<em> he sent out, searching for signs of a nearby consciousness.

* * *

><p>Xamot could sense his brother was near. He rounded a corner and almost knocked over a familiar face. It was Sister Ragini, the second of the lost souls to seek them out all those years before. She was an older Indian woman, too old for child birth, yet she had helped teach and take care of the other women's children at the sanctuary. "I have been waiting for you, master," she said, "This way."<p>

Ragini led him to the room where Tomax was being held and unlocked the door. The brothers reunited joyfully, rubbing their faces together and embracing hard, as if they were trying to become as one. "I love you...you are every-" Tomax said before going silent when his voice caught. He was normally not the one for words; that was Xamot's thing. At that moment, Tomax let his pride go and openly cried with relief. Both felt giddy, joyful, with hearts filled with hope for their glorious future again.

"Come," Tomax said after a while, "We must find what is left of our family and take what we deserve. The world will know of our greatness this time around."

Xamot replied, "No hurry. They will find us. They always do."


	4. Halos

_Took some content from the Renegades Brothers of Light episode and made an origins story out of it where Tomax and Xamot recall memories that led them to know themselves. There's a suggestion of twincest, but it's mostly a story of occult weirdness. The story about the two other psychically bonded twins was based on an urban legend I once read on Facebook._

"You are an island, alone in the darkness. Come.." Tomax began, while Xamot finished with, "...be with your friends. There is no point in running."

"WHERE WILL YOU RUN?" they asked in unison.

The Brothers of Light were annoyed to see the one called Tunnelrat look at them with an angry look that masked terror. They had approached him benignly with arms open in friendship, but he still resisted them, jumping over the side of the stairs with a frantic need to keep the uncanny twin brothers from getting anywhere near him.. They could see and feel his inner most thoughts and were offended by what they found there. _Freaks. Weirdos..._

_What is the deal with that guy? He looks at us as if there was something wrong with us._ Tomax thought, his feelings hurt. He put a gentle hand on his brother's shoulder as he felt Xamot's heart quicken a little from feeling his beloved's distress. This wasn't the first time they had experienced this reaction from someone. Tunnelrat would probably cause them all kinds of trouble in the future, but they would gain his trust eventually, even if it meant a forced visit to the temple. He would no doubt be a similar disciple to Brother Jacob, who often forgot himself and called them all kinds of horrible names, as if they were monsters. They were used to misguided judgement from people, but eventually they all came to love them.

The Brothers of Light were reminded of a time long ago when they had asked a family member why so many people acted weird around them, as if they made people uncomfortable. This relative had kind of looked to the side and said, "Well...it's kind of like because you...I don't know...spend too much time together. Your movements are too much in sync, and you always look at one another as if you share a nasty secret.."

This distressed the twins. They were desperate to fit into their family and be seen as keen and valuable members, not liabilities. The behaviors others thought strange were a necessity, however, and they were at a loss of what to do about them. Their shared sensations made them feel vulnerable and seek the soothing company of one another. This empathic bond used to be a closely guarded secret, yet they had suffered so many slips over time it became impossible to hide. Each twin had a different way of coping with this trait. All their lives, Xamot had the tendency to step up and take punches for them because he was more comfortable having something happen to him for real than to feel it happen via their connection and possibly be surprised by the unexpected. Tomax was content to retreat from violence or trauma and let his brother have the experience. He knew it wasn't exactly fair and so he felt unquestioning trust, gratitude and loyalty without measure, and more than a little guilt.

Their future goal was to figure out a way to focus their psychic energy so that one brother would be able to block out the others pain by virtue of not being afflicted. They weren't sure this was possible, however, and the closest they've been able to achieve this is when both would retreat into their own minds. It's not as if they had a lot of practice. They were blessed with pain free lives in the sanctuary for the most part.

Their biggest worry was that people would find out exactly how intense their pain sharing was and want to test them for study or amusement. They tried to downplay the severity of it, but this was at times impossible. When others would shudder and shy away from their eerie presence, they might think, c'est la vie, it is better than the terrifying worry of a pinch here and jab there on one to test the other.

-And speaking of tests, they had just received a most interesting visitor, their newest and most fervent disciple, Brother Mindbender. The twins had been most amused when the boisterous little nugget had landed his plane right at the door of their temple and had sauntered up arrogantly as if he owned the place. They could tell he didn't take their power seriously. He had addressed them as if they were charlatans, con-men he could tempt with his wealth. Underneath it all, they could sense bright hopes and dark thoughts in the doctor. If they were the real thing, he had planned on holding them captive and performing painful experiments to find the secrets to their powers so he could create the ultimate weapon. It seemed rather pointless; their powers were already a most effective weapon and nobody had to get hurt. Well, he'd soon see...

Mindbender had eagerly climbed the steps and entered the Temple of the Brothers of Light. He was a vigorous little man, fair and fine boned, childishly delicate, but full of a fierce energy they could tell manifested itself in malicious ways. He froze upon seeing the altar. Tomax and Xamot stood on either side of him; each put a hand on his shoulder while they eased their wills into his mind. "TELL US WHAT IS TROUBLING YOU.." they said softly in unison.

"I'm being put under a lot of pressure to produce results on the bioviper project for Cobra Industries," the doctor explained, "I've been 100% loyal to them but don't feel they've been loyal to me. They've made me a fugitive who is set up to take the fall for everything they've done; the blame is solely on my shoulders. Every day my bosses commit horrible atrocities in front of me.."

Mindbender closed his eyes and suddenly lost his ability to speak. The twins saw images in his thoughts of the doctor sitting with his feet propped up on a desk, pretending to work with hands that shook only slightly, feigning an insouciant attitude, while a large man with his face mostly covered and a fashionable woman murdered people in front of him. The twins knew he wasn't being wholeheartedly honest with them. Though he hadn't done as horrible of things as his bosses, it certainly wasn't for lack of trying, and he definitely had both the stomach and spirit to do harm to people, given the chance. They could see the doctor had deluded himself into thinking he was somewhat of a victim in all this. His eyes had even started to tear up, though he quickly rubbed them and took deep breaths to calm himself. Finally, he opened his eyes again and his lips turned up into a smile. The three of them stood bathed in the light of the temple and had an intimate moment of silence.

Afterwards they had the doctor turn over as much of Cobra's assets as he could access via online banking. They promised they would take control of this company and nobody would have to get hurt again. Mindbender could go back to his duties with the bioviper project but they'd straighten him out, make a better man of him. While he was at the commune, he could make himself useful to the family of the Brothers of Light. Maybe he could go back to practicing dentistry or work in the infirmary. They felt he was so talented he could do pretty much anything, even grow into a happiness and love he had never known.

As Tomax and Xamot pondered Mindbender's future, they thought about how blessed they were to have their massive unorthodox family and still remain safe and secure in their love for each other. It hadn't always been so, however, as when they were children, they often felt they faced an uncertain future together. They were attracted to women and had a drive to start a family someday, but they also were in each others heads so much that they had a strong need to be physically intimate. They had such a strong emotional attachment that they knew they'd never be parted. They supposed they'd need to become well respected and fabulously wealthy someday, to increase the likelihood they'd be able to find partners who would tolerate their idiosyncrasies. What a shock it would be for others to know that not only was it impossible for the twins to have privacy during their most intimate moments, but that it had become the norm for them. Well, mostly. They had felt a bit awkward over their sexuality for most of their lives. When they were younger, their psychic mentors had tried to reassure them that their love was nothing to be ashamed of. They also explained their differing personalities and sexuality to them in a non-explicit, roundabout way.

"You are the perfect yin and yang personalities in reverse," Tory had explained, "You have perfect compatibility. You are like two tigers. Monty is the tiger hunting in the shadows; Max is the tiger sitting in the sun planning the next hunt. Strangely enough with you two, the tiger in the shadows has many qualities one would expect in the tiger in the light and vice versa. As you go about your lives in your perfect circle, Max will be weighted toward the bottom."

The day the Brothers of Light heard that analogy, Tory's cruel partner Mick had smirked in the background. They could sense an unknown prank forming in his head. Of course, that was most memories they had of him.

That same day, Tory had told them of the former existence of another psychically bonded set of identical twins, American girls of African decent. They did not have compatible personalities and were not emotionally capable of coping with their lack of privacy. All their lives they made attempts to kill one another; each would call her sibling, 'The Shadow That Blocks Out My Sun'. Shortly after they reached adulthood, one twin had grown mysteriously ill and had died suddenly, leaving the other twin to live a happy, albeit ordinary life. It was possible the deceased twin had lost a mental battle of wills, or perhaps their connection made them love enough that one had been willing to sacrifice herself for the well-being of the other.

Later that night, when the twins were alone, Xamot had told Tomax that if it came down to it, he would be the one to give his life for his brother's happiness.

Tomax had grabbed Xamot's hands so overcome they both temporarily lost the ability to speak. They sat in silence for some time pondering what they meant to one another. Finally, though not the one for words, Tomax had said, "What kind of life would I have without you? You are my sun. Without your light, I'd forever be crawling blindly, sorrowfully through darkness."

As Xamot had leaned into his brother silently, he rather thought Tomax had only been mirroring what he had been thinking. Sometimes he needed to hear it though.

Tomax had shut off the lights and turned in after that. A revelation had formed in Xamot's mind, and he had to share it at once. He got into bed with his brother, straddling him and rubbing his shoulders. "Monty, what are you doing?" Tomax had gasped.

"I think I know what Tory meant by you being weighted toward the bottom," Xamot had replied, but then he trailed off and paused after saying, "I'm supposed to protect you..."

Tomax relaxed and felt great pleasure at being held down. He waited..waited for Xamot to tell him what he knew, waited for his brother to control the pace of their lives. Meanwhile, Xamot tried to figure out what he needed to protect him from. They were behind locked doors, completely safe in the temporary custody of their psychic mentors. Family, peers and troubles were many miles away. A surge of aggression and insecurity built in Xamot's chest. Most of the time Tomax went along with what he wanted, but he wasn't about to stand for that rare moment of resistance. "...but I'm not sure what I'm supposed to protect you from," he continued, "Anyway, do you trust me?"

Tomax nodded as Xamot absently ran his hands over his brother's body. They had come to an understanding that night, but it had been such an awkward moment neither brother had felt all that good about it.

That was long ago. Presently, they were confident in the direction their lives were going, and they were about to achieve their greatest triumph, now that they were about to reveal to their huge family and great many offspring the existence of trained soldiers for their new Crimson Guard. They now felt they had an understanding of what they were and what the strengths and limitations of their powers were. Life had not always felt this secure. Earlier in their lives, the twins had once felt uncertainty and chaos as they struggled to understand the light growing in their minds. As young children, the Brothers of Light had spent a lot of time on their knees praying to an ever distant God to reveal their divine purposes, for beings such as they could only be made of stars. They would see pictures of angels, saints, and God Himself depicted with halos around their heads, and they would recognize that same pure, luminous power growing in their own minds. Sometimes their own halos became overwhelming, staggering, crushing their souls, erasing their sense of being at times. They often wondered with great fear if someday their inner light might burn away their physical forms. What would become of them then? Would they be left with better glorified forms or would it just be the end of them? This thought was too frightening to face; the brothers needed a release.

To relieve the pressure of the burgeoning power on their minds, the Brothers of Light would often sit close, heads together, focusing their power into objects, putting a little of their light into each one. When they first got into the habit of doing this, they would give the objects as special gifts to those who meant the most to them. This ended badly. Some would drop the objects as if burned, making the sign of the cross against an unknown evil. Others would take the gifts hesitantly only to destroy them later by various means. Some would crushed to bits; others would be buried deep in the earth of a lonely field. A few were thrown into a river with the hopes the water would wash them clean. The brothers would always know when this happened and would feel a forlorn pang when their mental connection to the object was severed. They took the treatment of their gifts as a sign they should keep their secrets to themselves for the time being so that they themselves wouldn't be in danger of being treated similarly.

When Tomax and Xamot would sit in contemplation, heads together, they would continue to pray, sending their thoughts out with the eternal hope they'd have their purpose revealed to them. For the longest time, they'd imagine fantastical stories of meeting others like them who would let them into the world of godlike beings. Then one night the twins dreamed a shared vision. Two golden, angelic beings appeared and told them, "We are close. We have heard your distress and are coming for you. Do not fear..."

When the brothers awoke, they weren't sure if what they had dreamed was real. Soon after, their hopes became reality when they were visited by two mysterious strangers who were to become their psychic mentors. They could sense in their minds the same divine energy as they were gifted with. The first thing the newcomers did, however, was break down their delusions. "You are not gods, Max and Monty," the woman had explained, "The power you have inside of you is psychic energy, same as we have. We are Tory and Mick, two of six."

"Yeah, the first two," the man had muttered, "Don't ever forget it when you meet the others."

As Tory and Mick explained the powers of the psychic to them, they let slip that they had been amazed to find a pair of life-bonded paranormals who were same sex brothers. This oddity was made more profound by how they were Siamese Twins of the soul, connected by their psychic energy. The brothers had thought nothing of this at the time, being so filled with hope for the future. They had been given a miraculous gift by nature. It was possible they were meant to be born as physical Siamese Twins, fused at the sides of their heads near their eyes. If they were fortunate enough to have survived birth in that form, then they would have had a difficult life of limited function and mobility. Others would have looked at them as horrors, and they would have never been able to find others who would tolerate them as partners. Instead, while they were still closely bound, they enjoyed freedom of movement and somewhat of an ability to function independently. They felt like the luckiest anomalies on earth and were too filled with optimism to recognize that the people around them had seen them as horrors regardless.

The Brothers of Light felt a twinge of guilt in the backs of their minds thinking of those days. This because of a warning their mentors had once given them. Tory had said there had only ever been one true Son of God, one who was peaceful and forgiving, leading people into repentance. Too many in the world, however, were quick to follow false prophets. Too many would willingly follow a rapist, murderer and slave owner, just so long as the promise of paradise was enticing enough and the psychic gift strong enough to convince people a miracle was in progress. All the false prophets were full of themselves, warmongers who built up their private armies for the glory of their faith...which was really about themselves. Nobody had the right to manipulate people that way, just because they were gifted with extraordinary abilities.

Standing triumphant under the light of their altar, the Brothers of Light were about to announce the three new members of their Crimson Guard to their disciples. Surely they were different. The world could do a lot worse than they for Supreme Rulers of the World. After all, they had no desire to hurt, rape or enslave anybody. They went through their days serene and joyful in their closeness knowing that if they ever did commit horrific atrocities before their disciples, then it would be unlikely anybody would ever be comfortable around them again. They'd forever be trapped in a world where people darted their eyes in their presence, unsettled by their mysteriously freakish and brutal nature. The brothers wanted people to love them, and they would..they did.

Immediately after the Brothers of Light described their plans for world domination, their disciples began chanting praises to them. Tomax leaned into Xamot so he could better feel his brother's verve and enthusiasm humming through his psyche. Xamot was like that...dramatic, energetic, aggressively projecting his strong emotions outward. This was why Tomax considered him to be brother number one and would allow him to be the ultimate leader over all they worked and schemed for. Xamot, however, considered Tomax to be number one and would step up and die for him if he had to. Thus they went in their perfect circle as they always had and would always be, and woe to anybody who came to make trouble for them.


End file.
